Galway, who demolished Tipperary in startling fashion in the League final in April, are the only one of the quartet who have not yet been blown off course in this championship.

The bookies have installed them as favourites for the All-Ireland.

Sunday Game analyst Loughnane accepts that Galway probably deserve to be favourites but raised doubts about whether they have the on-field leaders to drag them through difficult periods in games against the top sides.

"The thing about Galway is that they do deserve to be 2/1 favourites, especially on the basis of their League final performance as well as their displays over the last few years.

"The one big question hanging over Galway is not so much what team will get off the bus as when it comes to crucial junctures in big games, like the Leinster final against Kilkenny in 2015, like the All-Ireland final in 2015, like last year's Leinster final, when they were either leading at half-time or level at half-time, and ended being beaten badly in the end, that when those crucial junctures come have they the leaders that'll stand up and drive the team home?

"That is the one thing lacking. And we won't know that until we get to the really big games," Loughnane cautioned.

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